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Archive for the ‘LotR Movies’ Category

Some sad news has reached us as one of the unsung contributors to the LOTR films has passed. He was notable in New Zealand for his locations work on the LOTR films among other things, including his world-class photography. We certainly give a nod and our condolences to friends and family. From New Zealand media:

“Dave Comer, the man who helped redefine New Zealand as Middle-earth, lost his battle with cancer on Christmas Day.

A still photographer with a huge love of Fiordland, he was instrumental in selecting the spectacular locations for the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.

Comer, who may be considered New Zealand’s first film location scout, was involved in numerous Kiwi and overseas commercials and was the director of celebrated Fiordland film Ata Whenua – Shadowland.
To read more about this remarkable man, CLICK HERE“

We’re still working hard to make #OneLastParty – a Party of Special Magnificence – happen, so we can all celebrate together next February! We had many requests from fans who hoped we could extend the deadline, so after much consideration we went ahead and extended to January 18th. It was tricky to choose a date – of course we all want to reach our target as soon as possible, but we wanted to take into account the fact that some folks don’t get paid until Jan 15th, and may want to purchase tickets then.

The goal, of course, is still to reach that target as soon as possible – and to that end, we are holding an exciting GIVEAWAY for all those who pledge before 12noon EST on December 31st! Everyone who has already pledged – and all who pledge between now and then – will be entered into a draw to WIN a Menu from our ‘One Dragon, One Party’ Oscar Moot held 2014 at the Cat & Fiddle restaurant in Los Angeles. This beautiful item, printed on a thick card stock paper, golden marbled, using the Shire Regular font designed by Daniel Reeve (the official Calligrapher for the films), was SIGNED at the party by Adam Brown (Ori), Craig Parker (Haldir) and Dean O’Gorman (Fili).

One Dragon, One Party menu signed by Dean O’Gorman, Craig Parker and Adam Brown

To be in with a chance to win this item, you simply need to have made a pledge of ANY level to the campaign before 12noon EST, Wednesday 31st December. You can give $10 and be part of the big thank you card we will send to PJ et al; you can pledge $200 for a party ticket; you can even snag some exclusive items at higher ‘perk’ levels, (such as a solid gold One Ring from Badali Jewelry, which retails for $924, but which you could claim for only $600 – and that includes your party ticket, too!) Names will be entered into the draw for as many times as an individual has pledged – so if you’ve pledged twice, you have two chances to win!

A name will be drawn at random and the winner will be notified by email, and the signed menu shipped out to that lucky person asap. This means that the winner will receive the menu no matter what the final result of our campaign is. Someone is guaranteed to win this special collectible signed by three cast members – all you have to do, to be in with a chance to win, is make a pledge!

And if you need any further persuasion to join the party, here’s a video where Billy Boyd chats with staffer greendragon. Towards the end of the interview, he talks about the music he’d like to play at the party; let’s make it happen, so Billy can come and serenade us all! #OneLastParty – see you there!

Join us in Los Angeles in February at The One Last Party

We’re hosting a Party of Special Magnificence next February — a toast to all SIX movies, both LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit.

We at TheOneRing.net want you all to join us in saying a proper ‘Fond Farewell’ and heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to all the hard working Cast and Crew of all six of the Middle-earth films. There will be a giant ‘Thank You’ card at our planned “The One Last party: There and Back Again” event on February 21, 2015 in Hollywood. We’ve done this before, back at the Return of the One Party in 2004, so we know how to do big cards.

Now we know that not everyone can join us at ‘The One Last Party” so we have a special Perk on our Indiegogo campaign just for you. In fact, every single Perk level includes your name on the card, but we did create the lowest level Perk just for those who can’t attend, but would like to be included in this special ‘one of a kind’ Thank you greeting. The images here are from 2004, but they give you an idea of what to expect from this year’s Epic card. And for those who do attend the party, you will have the opportunity to personalize your greeting a little bit more at the party. This ‘Thank You’ card will either be given to, or sent down to New Zealand to be delivered to Peter Jackson.

For the past decade and a half, Peter Jackson, his amazing cast and the equally amazing crew have handcrafted these magnificent cinematic representations of Middle-earth for all of us to enjoy. Along the way, we have created a vibrant fan community where we can be found chatting on the message boards, meeting up at theater Line Parties, attending conventions together, making pilgrimages to New Zealand, and attending Oscar parties. We are a very social fandom who celebrates both the creative and academic side of Middle-earth, where you can find people displaying amazing costume designs right next to people who can recite and translate all of Tolkien’s Elvish poetry, and each can call the other ‘friend’. So while we want to thank Peter and the rest of the cast and crew for making films we can all enjoy, we especially want to thank them for the much more important Fan Community that has been thriving in big cities and tiny little towns all around the world since 2001.

Please join us in sending out our thanks by supporting our campaign for The One Last Party: There and Back Again, or sharing it far and wide with all your friends and family. Let’s all enjoy each other’s company #OneLastTime.

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Join us in Los Angeles in February at The One Last Party

We’re hosting a Party of Special Magnificence next February — a toast to all SIX movies, both LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit.

We are proud to present the design of our Exclusive T-Shirt made specifically for everyone who supports our campaign to make The One Last Party a reality. The end product may look slightly different, current design features are being finessed, such as the final color of the shirt, the order to the costumed fans circling the bottom, etc. But ultimately this is the design that best demonstrates our fandom community and our desire to be together to say a fond farewell these six Middle-earth films.

This shirt design will not be made available to the public, the only way to receive it is to pledge at the Company of Dwarves level or above.

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Join us in Los Angeles in February at The One Last Party

We’re hosting a Party of Special Magnificence next February — a toast to all SIX movies, both LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit.

The last couple of days have presented us with several new collectibles from the amazing folks at Weta Workshop. The first new item is from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and is none other than the Dragon himself Smaug. This is the mini-version we saw at Comic-Con this past July. This fun sized Smaug which is still plenty big, considering that Smaug himself isn’t a tiny one, comes in with solid price tag of $125, which will be shipping between December-February. Anyone that orders Smaug – King Under The Mountain will have to put down a 20% NRD when they order.

In conjunction with the final of The Hobbit Trilogy fans can add a commemorative pin for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. This pin can be added to your collection for only $10.99 and is in-stock ready to ship. The final item comes from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. If you’ve enjoyed collecting the pins from The Hobbit Trilogy now you can also do so for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. This three piece set covers all three movies for $29.99 with this also being in-stock and ready to ship to your collections.

Join us in Los Angeles in February at The One Last Party

We’re hosting a Party of Special Magnificence next February — a final toast to all SIX movies, both The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy.

We’re inviting you to join us and make it happen through our Indiegogo campaign — so we can all celebrate Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth movies together!

The Art of Film Magic – 20 Years of Weta delves into the incredible work of the folks at Weta Workshop and Weta Digital, and how they’ve built Weta into one of the world’s leaders when it comes to making movies amazing. If you been thinking about grabbing this two-book set, here’s your chance to add it to your collection.

We’re teaming up with our friends at HarperCollins to give away a copy. (more…)

As we told you about the other day, our friend and amazing artist, Jerry Vanderstelt’s new art print of Rivendell is now up for order. This is the first in a series of landscape series allowing fans to add to their collections images of many of the beautiful places that help create Middle-earth.

The Rivendell Art print can be had in two different formats as we’ve seen with other prints in a super nice Paper Giclee version and Canvas version. The Paper Giclee can be had starting at $80 with various options and the Canvas starts at $225 also with various options. This beautiful print is in-stock so order now and give that fan of Middle-earth this fantastic gift.

Join us in Los Angeles in February at The One Last Party

We’re hosting a Party of Special Magnificence next February — a final toast to all SIX movies, both The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy.

We’re inviting you to join us and make it happen through our Indiegogo campaign — so we can all celebrate Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth movies together!

MIRAMAR, New Zealand — The director’s tent. Inside a sound stage or outside on location, it is a constant and central fixture on a movie shoot. It is home base for Peter Jackson and his team.

It is sacred ground – well almost.

The decisions made inside it, by the team, under Jackson’s direction, are crucial to the project where it is determined what will later happen in front of the camera.

So every day, whatever happens to a set or a soundstage overnight, the tent is there set up and waiting for the core of the shooting unit.

Editor Jabez Olssen, Script Supervisor Victoria Sullivan and First Assistant Director Carolynne Cunningham call it home during the shoot. Cunningham is out a lot, Olssen and Sullivan less so and Producer Zane Weiner is always near. Jackson’s assistant Sebastian Meek is in and out at all times, bringing badly needed tea and watching the door from outside to eliminate distractions inside.

Jackson lives on tea and Meek has a talent for having it handy at the perfect moment.

SETTING THE SCENE

In April, 2012, as a representative of fandom via TheOneRing.net, to be on set during five weeks of the filming of the Hobbit films. At the time, it was still scheduled to be two movies and the production had just settled in to shoot in studio instead of on location. Much was unknown then, that now is completely familiar to fans.

When I first arrived at Stone Street Studios, the publicity team took me to set, showed me the ropes and left me to my own devices during the rest of my stay to meet folks and get interviews, which was great. No time and no need for babysitting.

I was there to be a good guest and to observe. Two weeks later I was definitely convinced I had no chance of talking to Peter Jackson, except for an occasional, “Hello, how are you getting on?” from him during my time there.

Fans world-wide know from production diaries, how exhausted Jackson gets during the shooting phase of filmmaking. It is important to really understand why.

Peter Jackson is a busy guy. Particularly when he is shooting, there is a lot to do in a day and a lot of people that need to understand his vision in order to do their jobs well; he is the hub of the great spinning wheel.

He is the director, a writer and a producer — each a big job on its own. Many films have one of each of those, or several of some, all working together. But Jackson was all of them at once and combining titles didn’t mean there was less work to be done. Just because he was reviewing shots didn’t mean the script didn’t need his touch or that the art department didn’t need his input as a director or the next day’s schedule didn’t need approval. Others were partners on all of these fronts but they also required Jackson.

In a day he might need to meet with the effects supervisor, set designers, concept designers, costume designers, the composer or see actual costumes for approval or changes to name just a few of the many things that require his time. He will confirm the schedule with his Assistant Director, producers and spend time with the Second Unit Director Andy Serkis to make sure all is to his liking. They need sets built, greens grown, sets decorated, concept guys working ahead, materials guys building everything, maximizing actors’ time, feeding all of those people, screening extras, bringing in the right number of prosthetic artists and on and on. In short, there is never a shortage of people who need Jackson’s input to work on his vision and it takes the logistics of, dare I say, planning a battle with five armies.

In short, he has to sign off on pretty much everything.

Those are the reasons “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” and his other Hobbit movies are genuinely Peter Jackson movies. It also means he is booked.

Solid.

THE FINAL HOURS

And so it was, the last day of my time on The Hobbit set, after several assurances that it would happen — it did.

Lunch happened and on the location set of Dale, up on a hill, I was invited to that director’s tent to sit and talk with PJ, just the two of us alone. (One editor asked me if we ate together in the tent but I don’t think so, but why many memories are crystal clear of that meeting, I just have no idea.)

I had been inside before, but not often. The day I shadowed him, I spent several hours, trying to melt into the background. This was his sanctuary and office.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — We talked to Orlando Bloom in a sound stage on set during filming of The Hobbit movies. Bloom is a massive movie star, more than he is an actor, he is a franchise actor in series of films that have grossed billions. Of all the folks we interviewed I knew him the least (not at all) and he was the most difficult to read.

I recall that he was nervous but reading through the transcription that doesn’t show up at all. We talked a lot about Rings vs. Hobbit a lot here and that wouldn’t have been my choice. But there are no bad questions, it just feels slightly repetitive. However, after seeing “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” I do understand more clearly of what he was telling us. He was forthright and open.

It is worth a mention that Bloom is a physical actor who mixes it up with stuntees and action full bore. He doesn’t hold back.

If memory serves he was in at least partial Legolas clothes with some green pants and his legs were restless.

Other Q&A interviews about “The Hobbit:The Battle of the Five Armies,” include:

MEDIA: So, now we’re seeing you out of the full hair and makeup and whatever. How does the process compare this time around, just in terms of duration and ease and whatever, to the first three movies?

ORLANDO BLOOM: To get made up?

MEDIA: Yeah. Have they refined the process so that it’s a breeze now?

ORLANDO BLOOM: It’s about the same for me. I think they simplified it for the hobbit, for Martin, because they came up with those boot ideas which– Actually, I think that was– A great idea by Viggo’s old makeup artist, somebody was telling me actually, funny enough. He came up with the idea for having the feet be boots.

Can you imagine how much time that would have saved? Because on Rings, they had the joint there and it was so visible that they had to– So, yeah, I think it’s– But for me, I just have my ears, and they just pop on and they seal them down in about an hour and fifteen minutes.

With “The Hobbit” movies before our eyes, either from home or at the movies, here is a fascinating look back at Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings,” films. This clever edit of the films might have been what King Theoden was yelling “Death! Death! Death!” about from his horse because this version features all the on-screening killing from the whole trilogy – extended edition.

It might bring differences between the two trilogies to mind, or it might not, but whatever it is, the folks at Digg have done themselves proud. ENJOY!

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens today in the UK! It’s been a epic journey for cast and crew (and fans!) to get to this point; in a video released by Warner Bros., Peter Jackson et al look back over those 17 years.

TheOneRing.net have been along for every step of that journey – and in the video, as the 2.17min mark, you can see images from our ‘Return of the One Party’, where PJ and crew celebrated their Oscar wins. Want to celebrate again, at a Party of Special Magnificence? Then join us at The One Last Party - tickets only available until December 31st! Don’t miss out – it will be a night to remember!

As you know, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies had its world premiere in London last week. Members of the cast and crew gathered in the city, with some of them seeing the film the night before the premiere, but many heading down the red carpet to experience the completed movie for the first time.

TORn Senior Staffer greendragon was there to catch up with the folks in Leicester Square that night. Amongst those who stopped by to chat with her were stars Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen and others, as well as director Peter Jackson and screen writer Philippa Boyens. In addition to hearing what they thought of the film, and how it felt to be at the end of their (long expected? unexpected?) journey, greendragon made sure to invite them all to celebrate at The One Last Party in Los Angeles next February – which, of course, YOU can attend too. (Click here for more information.)

Enjoy this footage from that star-studded night in London:

[Special thanks to cameraman and editor Matthew Rodriguez; should you be looking for a film maker in London, you can reach him at rodriguezrmatthew at gmail.com]

This site is maintained and updated by fans of The Lord of the Rings, and is in no way affiliated with Tolkien Enterprises or the Tolkien Estate. We in no way claim the artwork displayed to be our own. Copyrights and trademarks for the books, films, articles, and other promotional materials are held by their respective owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law.